‘Watts for Dinner’: Fresh catch – Water to table at Leebe Fish

Our next dining destination is Leebe Fish in Olde Marco (Marco Island). Whether you’re looking for fresh seafood to cook, or you prefer to have someone cook it for you, this is the place. Everything for sale here came out of Southwest Florida waters, the same day you’re buying it.

During our recent visit, the catch of the day included snapper, grouper, tuna, swordfish and stone crabs.

More:‘Watts for Dinner’: Tony’s offers a New York slice and so much more

I decided on the snapper. You can get it in a basket, as a taco, a platter or a sandwich. I picked the latter. You can also get it fried or blackened. That was a tougher choice for me. So, I asked the staff. After all, they should know. And so, blackened it was.

For your side, you can have a “secret recipe” slaw, made with vinegar, not mayo, or rice and beans or fries. Since I was having a sandwich, this was a no-brainer. Fries!

My sandwich come on a bun, a whole fillet, stacked half on top of half. That makes for a thick sandwich. It comes with the hose tartar sauce. It was so good, I asked for more to dip my fries in. And the fries: crunchy, delish and plentiful.

Back to the sandwich. It was seasoned to perfection; with Arthur Treachers, I presume. Given it’s sold in the lobby. I give this sandwich two huge thumbs up.

My dining companion had the Swordfish, as a platter, with black beans and rice. It was a thick cut and won his approval. Which is not easy. He’s very picky with his fish. He also liked his sides.  

We hadn’t been here in a while. My last visit was Nov. 9, 2018.      

During that visit, I had the shrimp basket with black beans and rice. First, nice portion size. There were like 12 grilled shrimps, perfectly seasoned and cooked just so. The beans and rice were topped with cilantro, salsa, onions, cheddar cheese and a dab of sour cream.

Naples:‘Watts for Dinner’:  Ziggy’s zags in all the right places

My partner in dine had the fish and shrimp combo. I bartered a few extra shrimps for a taste of the fish that 10 minutes ago I had dismissed. The fish was heavy on the spices, but it worked for me. It’s exactly the way I would have cooked it at home – but who has time for that?

The cole slaw was above average. Not creamy; but crispy and salad-like with some spices in the mix. And unexpected delight.

Friendly and great service. There’s a dining room and courtyard tables. You order at the register. But one word of caution, no credit cards or apps here. Only cold hard cash transactions. But there’s an ATM, just in case you forget. Happy eating!

More:Hey Marco Island, looking for a place to eat?

This newspaper pays for all meals related to dining reviews. We do not solicit or accept free food. Not all dishes are featured in print, but you can find a gallery of all reviewed dishes online at marconews.com.

If you go

Leebe Fish

• 350 Royal Palm Dr., Marco Island
• 239-389-0580
• leebefish.com